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RSA Conference BlogThe latest news and info from RSA Conference2015 RSA ConferenceGenericen-USSun, 02 Aug 2015 04:25:11 EDTPeers Discuss Partner SecurityFri, 31 Jul 2015 12:00:00 EDT <em><a href="http://www.rsaconference.com/speakers/kenneth-morrison" target="_blank">Ken Morrison</a>, principal of IT consultancy Morrison Consulting, led security and risk professionals in a discussion about outsourcing as part of the Peer-to-Peer discussion at RSA Conference 2015 in San Francisco. Below is Morrison's notes from the session. </em> Outsourcing to global partners is a regular activity by companies seeking to leverage their resources. Our session, <a href="/events/us15/agenda/sessions/1875/whos-invited-to-your-party-minimizing-risk-from" target="_blank">Who’s invited to Your Party? Minimizing Risk From Outsourced Partners</a> addressed these concerns head-on. RSAC USA 2015 had a total of eight sessions focused on partner security. Ours was a fully attended session with a great…http://www.rsaconference.com/blogs/peers-discuss-partner-securityhttp://www.rsaconference.com/blogs/peers-discuss-partner-security
RSAC Contributor Data Protection and Identity and Access Management DomainsFri, 24 Jul 2015 12:00:00 EDT <em>This is the second in a three-part series on IT security from <a href="http://www.forsythe.com/" target="_blank">Forsythe Technology</a>. This post looks at data protection and identity and access management. Other posts covered <a href="http://www.rsaconference.com/blogs/security-20-survival-in-the-new-threatscape" target="_blank">core infrastructure and threat and vulnerability management</a> and governance and application security. </em> <strong>Your Data Has Left the Building: Are You Protecting It? </strong>In the previous post, I talked about the current role of perimeter and core infrastructure security, and the importance of keeping up your organization’s first line of defense. Now, I’ll focus on protecting “the crown jewels” inside the perimeter using data protection…http://www.rsaconference.com/blogs/data-protection-and-identity-and-access-management-domainshttp://www.rsaconference.com/blogs/data-protection-and-identity-and-access-management-domains
RSAC ContributorSecurity 2.0: Survival in the New ThreatscapeMon, 20 Jul 2015 12:00:00 EDT <em>This is the first in a three-part series on IT security from <a href="http://www.forsythe.com/" target="_blank">Forsythe Technology.</a> This post looks at core infrastructure and threat and vulnerability management. <em> </em> </em> Security breaches are inevitable. Organizations needs to shift from aging mindsets and predictable tools to comprehensive prevention, detection and response capabilities in order to neutralize potential damage. In this blog series, we’ll approach today’s IT security issues from three different perspectives: 1) core infrastructure security and threat and vulnerability management, 2) <a href="http://www.rsaconference.com/blogs/data-protection-and-identity-and-access-management-domains" target="_blank">data protection and identity and access management</a>, …http://www.rsaconference.com/blogs/security-20-survival-in-the-new-threatscapehttp://www.rsaconference.com/blogs/security-20-survival-in-the-new-threatscape
RSAC ContributorThe Robot InvasionWed, 08 Jul 2015 12:00:00 EDT <em>This post is by <a href="http://www.rsaconference.com/speakers/mike_rothman" target="_blank">Mike Rothman</a>, analyst and President of Securosis, an independent security research firm.</em> Most "models" of the technology market are nonsense, though there are a few models that I think make a huge amount of sense. Anything that looks like a grid and has vendors reduced to dots is the former. Gartner's hype cycle is the latter. For those of you that aren't familiar with the hype cycle concept, new technologies tend to travel along a predictable evolution of hype, starting with some kind of technology trigger, climbing to the peak of inflated expectations, bottoming out at the…http://www.rsaconference.com/blogs/the-robot-invasionhttp://www.rsaconference.com/blogs/the-robot-invasion
Securosis TeamPeers Share Stories About Adopting the Cybersecurity FrameworkFri, 12 Jun 2015 12:00:00 EDT <em>Peer-2-Peer sessions give RSAC attendees the opportunity to dig deeply into a single topic area with a group of like-minded peers. <a href="http://www.rsaconference.com/speakers/timothy-shea" target="_blank">Timothy Shea</a>, a member of RSA’s Global Public Sector (GPS) Team, facilitated a P2P discussion about experiences adopting the cybersecurity framework (CSF) at RSA Conference 2015 in San Francisco. In this post, Shea continues the discussion from that session. </em> The Cybersecurity Framework (CSF) establishes a common language for describing cybersecurity activities. My session, <a href="/events/us15/agenda/sessions/1831/cybersecurity-framework-adoption-experiences-and" target="_blank">Cybersecurity Framework: Adoption Experiences and Opportunities</a>, encouraged those who have…http://www.rsaconference.com/blogs/peers-share-stories-about-adopting-the-cybersecurity-frameworkhttp://www.rsaconference.com/blogs/peers-share-stories-about-adopting-the-cybersecurity-framework
RSAC ContributorSecurity by the Numbers and the Work AheadTue, 02 Jun 2015 12:00:00 EDT Every day, there is yet another survey or report highlighting people’s perceptions of information security and identifying issues that need attention. Most of them tend to repeat what we already know, but two stood out recently and got me thinking. <strong>Data Breach Costs</strong> The first is the <a href="http://www-03.ibm.com/security/data-breach/" target="_blank">2015 Cost of Data Breach</a> by IBM and the Ponemon Institute. The average per-record cost of lost or stolen data in the United States was $217, and the average total cost of a single data breach in the United States was $6.5 million. Data breach figures vary significantly by industry and geography. The average total…http://www.rsaconference.com/blogs/security-by-the-numbers-and-the-work-aheadhttp://www.rsaconference.com/blogs/security-by-the-numbers-and-the-work-ahead
Fahmida Y. RashidUsing Peer Collaboration to Manage Supply Chain RiskFri, 29 May 2015 12:00:00 EDT <em>Peer-2-Peer sessions give RSAC attendees the opportunity to dig deeply into a single topic area with a group of like-minded peers. <a href="http://www.rsaconference.com/speakers/robin-slade" target="_blank">Robin Slade</a>, of Shared Assessments, facilitated a P2P discussion on peer collaboration for risk management at RSA Conference 2015 in San Francisco. In this post, Slade continues the discussion from that session.</em> Professionals in finance/banking, healthcare, insurance, and retail discussed an innovative approach at RSA Conference 2015: <a href="/events/us15/agenda/sessions/1881/can-peer-collaboration-be-our-next-best-practice" target="_blank">Can Peer Collaboration Be Our Next Best Practice for Risk Management?</a><em> </em> The discussion focused around using peer collaboration to…http://www.rsaconference.com/blogs/using-peer-collaboration-to-manage-supply-chain-riskhttp://www.rsaconference.com/blogs/using-peer-collaboration-to-manage-supply-chain-risk
RSAC ContributorThe Human Element of Computer SecurityMon, 25 May 2015 12:00:00 EDT Most organizations spend significant sums on high-tech defenses such as firewalls, anti-virus software, intrusion detection systems, and biometric locking devices as part of their computer security efforts. But even the strongest hardware and software defenses cannot withstand the human element. The damage can be inflicted intentionally by demotivated employees or unintentionally by insufficiently trained employees. If employees decide to breach defensive protocols intended to protect data from outsider access, then <a href="http://www.rsaconference.com/blogs/inquiring-minds-want-to-know-how-do-you-implement-business-security" target="_blank">computer security</a> becomes more challenging. There are countless examples of…http://www.rsaconference.com/blogs/the-human-element-of-computer-securityhttp://www.rsaconference.com/blogs/the-human-element-of-computer-security
Robert MoskowitzWhat's Next in Our Security ConversationMon, 18 May 2015 12:00:00 EDT There were a lot of interesting conversations at RSA Conference last month. With everyone back home and back to the pressures of the daily job, what happens next? Where does all that energy and excitement go? Hopefully, it is being channeled into informal conversations and new initiatives. One of the key themes was that security is broken and it needs to change. Every company needs a holistic security approach. We are no longer talking about silos or stand-alone solutions. Everything is interconnected, which means the threats are also linked. We can't just look at endpoint security while…http://www.rsaconference.com/blogs/whats-next-in-our-security-conversationhttp://www.rsaconference.com/blogs/whats-next-in-our-security-conversation
Fahmida Y. RashidSANS NetWars at RSAC 2015Fri, 15 May 2015 12:00:00 EDT SANS Institute brought its <a href="http://www.sans.org/event/rsa-conference-2015/product/942" target="_blank">NetWars competition</a> to RSA Conference 2015 in San Francisco. A hands-on, interactive learning environment, SANS NetWars lets information security professionals develop and master skills they need in their jobs. The program focuses on developing skills in vulnerability assessment, system hardening, malware analysis, digital forensics, incident response, packet analysis, and penetration testing. Participants earn points as they complete each task (proving they have mastered that skill). Think of it as a video game with different levels you have to complete. A…http://www.rsaconference.com/blogs/sans-netwars-at-rsac-2015http://www.rsaconference.com/blogs/sans-netwars-at-rsac-2015
Fahmida Y. RashidToday’s Attack Mode Mindset to Pen TestingWed, 13 May 2015 12:00:00 EDT Let’s start off by getting on the same page about what a penetration test <em>is</em>. The goal is generally to provide or your management team with an evaluation and snapshot of the organization’s security posture at a specified time. The actual testing involves mimicking what real attackers do, usually by leveraging a chain of vulnerabilities (i.e. attack path) in an attempt to reach critical assets. Using the results of this test, customers can break the attack path chains and (hopefully) make would-be hackers’ lives a little harder. A lot has changed since penetration testing was first introduced…http://www.rsaconference.com/blogs/todays-attack-mode-mindset-to-pen-testinghttp://www.rsaconference.com/blogs/todays-attack-mode-mindset-to-pen-testing
Eric CowperthwaiteTransforming Security into THE Business EnablerMon, 11 May 2015 12:00:00 EDT When I began my security career, shortly after the Y2K scare, there were many conversations about security as a roadblock. “Can’t do that ‘cause security won’t let us!” Most of the time security had the best interest of the company in mind, but other times it was because security professionals didn’t always understand the business objective. Silos existed in IT, IT Security, Business, and Customer Service. In some companies, they still exist. Think about what they each have to do: IT needs to keep the lights on; IT Security needs to keep data protected; Business needs to make money…http://www.rsaconference.com/blogs/transforming-security-into-the-business-enablerhttp://www.rsaconference.com/blogs/transforming-security-into-the-business-enabler
Rook SecurityPhishing Dark Waters: The Offensive and Defensive Sides of Malicious EmailsWed, 29 Apr 2015 12:00:00 EDT All encryption (with the exception of a one-time pad) can be broken. Bruce Schneier likes to use the analogy of a pole in the ground for encryption. You can try to break the pole (encryption); or simply go around the pole. Rather than finding problems with a proven encryption algorithm, attackers will try to go around it via how it’s implemented, and other similar attacks. In <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1118958470/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1118958470&linkCode=as2&tag=benrothkswebp-20&linkId=2VBUHYWJFBK4E5FB" target="_blank">Phishing Dark Waters: The Offensive and Defensive Sides of Malicious Emails</a>, authors by Christopher Hadnagy and Michele Fincher write about those who have mastered the art of going around the security pole, namely…http://www.rsaconference.com/blogs/phishing-dark-waters-the-offensive-and-defensive-sides-of-malicious-emailshttp://www.rsaconference.com/blogs/phishing-dark-waters-the-offensive-and-defensive-sides-of-malicious-emails
Ben RothkeIs Defense in Depth Dead? Part 2: The Lesson of BabylonTue, 28 Apr 2015 12:00:00 EDT A few weeks ago, when I asked, <a href="http://www.rsaconference.com/blogs/is-defense-in-depth-dead">Is Defense in Depth Dead?</a> I used the example of Dover Castle to illustrate the point that, as weapons and warfare change, defensive strategies must also evolve to meet new realities. Dover Castle and other fortresses offered their occupants centuries of effective protection—until the advent of gunpowder and cannon on the battlefields of medieval Europe. Which is not to say that walls and ramparts are utterly ineffective, only that on their own they are insufficient. A similar <a href="http://insights.wired.com/profiles/blogs/protection-vs-mitigation-history-hearsay-and-heresy?xg_source=activity#axzz3VJVvc75D">illustration making this point</a> goes back much farther in antiquity. The walls of ancient…http://www.rsaconference.com/blogs/is-defense-in-depth-dead-part-2-the-lesson-of-babylonhttp://www.rsaconference.com/blogs/is-defense-in-depth-dead-part-2-the-lesson-of-babylon
Danelle AuLearning About New Attack Techniques at RSAC 2015Wed, 22 Apr 2015 12:00:00 EDT A funny thing happened on my way to a session at the RSA Conference Tuesday. Long before I got there, and as I was checking messages on my phone, I nearly walked right into the back of a line. But for what? There were hundreds of people standing in line in the concourse, and hundreds of others rifling through their conference guides trying to figure out what all of the hubbub was. I smelled a story. Or at least something that hundreds of people thought was important enough. Being the faithful guide I promised to be, I asked someone in line what the heck everyone was waiting for. Surely there…http://www.rsaconference.com/blogs/learning-about-new-attack-techniques-at-rsac-2015http://www.rsaconference.com/blogs/learning-about-new-attack-techniques-at-rsac-2015
Tony KontzerRSA's Amit Yoran: Security is Stumbling Around in the DarkTue, 21 Apr 2015 12:00:00 EDT Amit Yoran clearly knows a good metaphor when he sees one. Or in this case, doesn’t see one. Yoran, who was named RSA's president last fall, took the stage at the RSA Conference in San Francisco Tuesday to deliver his <a href="http://www.emc.com/collateral/corporation/rsa-conference-keynote-amit-yoran-april-21-2015.pdf" target="_blank">first opening keynote</a>. In the dark. And he let the audience of thousands sit there, in the pitch black, for an excruciatingly long moment before offering the first glimpses of what appears will be a time of great change for the information security industry, RSA included. "Since the beginning of time, man has been afraid of the dark, and with good reason. We can hear noises and…http://www.rsaconference.com/blogs/rsas-amit-yoran-security-is-stumbling-around-in-the-darkhttp://www.rsaconference.com/blogs/rsas-amit-yoran-security-is-stumbling-around-in-the-dark
Tony KontzerHomeland Security Chief Talks Cybersecurity Mission at RSAC 2015Tue, 21 Apr 2015 12:00:00 EDT Jeh Johnson knows all too well how important security is. As the secretary of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Johnson not only is responsible for protecting the nation from terrorists, he's also accompanied by a secret service detail everywhere he goes. There was a time when that kind of physical security was enough, but the world has changed. During a keynote at the RSA Conference in San Francisco Tuesday, Johnson told thousands of attendees that he was reminded of this during a recent visit to his daughter's college. Before he headed to the campus, Johnson's daughter asked him to…http://www.rsaconference.com/blogs/homeland-security-chief-talks-cybersecurity-mission-at-rsac-2015http://www.rsaconference.com/blogs/homeland-security-chief-talks-cybersecurity-mission-at-rsac-2015
Tony KontzerDive into Deep Conversations at Peer-2-Peer Sessions at RSAC 2015Thu, 16 Apr 2015 12:00:00 EDT At RSA Conference, you can meet in a group to <em>explore a specific security topic in-depth as part of a Peer-2-Peer session.</em> Wondering which conversation will be the most relevant to your job role and concerns? We asked each session facilitator to provide a short summary to help you decide. This post highlights five P2P sessions (Scroll down for answers). Links to other session summaries are at the bottom of the page. <a href="/events/us15/agenda/sessions/1867/third-party-supplier-governance-secure-the-supply">Third Party Supplier Governance – Secure the supply chain</a> <a href="/events/us15/agenda/sessions/1958/mindfulness-leadership-from-within">Mindfulness: Leadership from within</a> <a href="/events/us15/agenda/sessions/1841/behind-enemy-lines-security-in-a-hostile">Behind Enemy Lines... Security in a Hostile Environment</a> <a href="/events/us15/agenda/sessions/1828/operationalizing-threat-intelligence">Operationalizing Threat…</a>http://www.rsaconference.com/blogs/dive-into-deep-conversations-at-peer-2-peer-sessions-at-rsac-2015http://www.rsaconference.com/blogs/dive-into-deep-conversations-at-peer-2-peer-sessions-at-rsac-2015
Fahmida Y. RashidPicking Out Peer-2-Peer Sessions at RSAC 2015Tue, 14 Apr 2015 12:00:00 EDT It’s easy to overlook Peer-2-Peer sessions when making your plans, which is a pity. Think about it—you will be digging into a topic you really care about in a room with like-minded peers and a facilitator. We asked each session facilitator to provide a short summary to help you decide which ones to attend this year. This post highlights seven P2P sessions (Scroll down for answers). Links to other session summaries are at the bottom of the page. <a href="/events/us15/agenda/sessions/1831/cybersecurity-framework-adoption-experiences-and" target="_blank">Cybersecurity Framework - Adoption Experiences and Challenges</a> <a href="/events/us15/agenda/sessions/1978/incident-response-tabletop-meet-n-swap" target="_blank">Incident Response Tabletop Meet n’ Swap</a> <a href="/events/us15/agenda/sessions/1843/trimming-the-waste-from-your-security-portfolio">Secure Agile Development: Why Can’t We All Get…</a>http://www.rsaconference.com/blogs/picking-out-peer-2-peer-sessions-at-rsac-2015http://www.rsaconference.com/blogs/picking-out-peer-2-peer-sessions-at-rsac-2015
Fahmida Y. RashidSecurosis Guide: Security ManagementTue, 14 Apr 2015 12:00:00 EDT <em>This post is part of a multi-part series about the <a href="http://www.rsaconference.com/blogs/welcome-to-the-securosis-guide-to-the-rsa-conference" target="_blank">Securosis Guide to the RSA Conference</a> (download the <a class="file pdf" href="/writable/files/2015/securosis_guide_to_rsac_2015.pdf">RSAC-G PDF</a>). Please scroll to the bottom for links to other posts in the series.</em> Last year Big Data was all the rage at the RSAC in terms of security monitoring and management. So the big theme this year will be...(drum roll, please)...Big Data. Yes, it's more of the same, though we will see security big data called a bunch of different things—including insider threat detection, security analytics, situational awareness, and probably two or three more where we have no idea what they even mean. …http://www.rsaconference.com/blogs/securosis-guide-security-managementhttp://www.rsaconference.com/blogs/securosis-guide-security-management
Securosis TeamWhich Peer-2-Peer Session Will You Attend at RSAC 2015?Mon, 13 Apr 2015 12:00:00 EDT What is a Peer-2-Peer session? Peer2Peer sessions enable groups that share a common interest to come together and explore a specific security topic. You will be digging into a topic you really care about in a room with like-minded peers and a facilitator. Wondering which conversation will be the most relevant to your job role and concerns? We asked each session facilitator to provide a short summary to help you decide. This post highlights seven P2P sessions (Scroll down for answers). Links to other session summaries are at the bottom of the page. <a href="/events/us15/agenda/sessions/1879/hacking-high-teaching-our-kids-vital-cyber-skills">Hacking High: Teaching Our Kids Vital Cyber…</a>http://www.rsaconference.com/blogs/which-peer-2-peer-session-will-you-attend-at-rsac-2015http://www.rsaconference.com/blogs/which-peer-2-peer-session-will-you-attend-at-rsac-2015
Fahmida Y. RashidSecurosis Guide: 2015 Endpoint Security TrendsTue, 07 Apr 2015 12:00:00 EDT <em>This post is part of a multi-part series about the <a href="http://www.rsaconference.com/blogs/welcome-to-the-securosis-guide-to-the-rsa-conference" target="_blank">Securosis Guide to the RSA Conference</a> (download the <a class="file pdf" href="/writable/files/2015/securosis_guide_to_rsac_2015.pdf">RSAC-G PDF</a>). Please scroll to the bottom for links to other posts in the series.</em> What you'll see at the RSAC in terms of endpoint security is really more of the same. Advanced attacks blah, mobile devices blah blah, AV-vendor hatred blah blah blah. Just a lot of blah... But we are still recovering from the advanced attacker hangover, which made painfully clear that existing approaches to preventing malware just don't work. So a variety of alternatives have emerged to do it better. Check out…http://www.rsaconference.com/blogs/securosis-guide-2015-endpoint-security-trendshttp://www.rsaconference.com/blogs/securosis-guide-2015-endpoint-security-trends
Securosis TeamSecurosis Guide: Welcome to the Coverage Area Deep DivesMon, 06 Apr 2015 12:00:00 EDT <em>This post is part of a multi-part series about the <a href="http://www.rsaconference.com/blogs/welcome-to-the-securosis-guide-to-the-rsa-conference" target="_blank">Securosis Guide to the RSA Conference</a> (download the <a class="file pdf" href="/writable/files/2015/securosis_guide_to_rsac_2015.pdf">RSAC-G PDF</a>). Please scroll to the bottom for links to other posts in the series.</em> While everyone likes to talk about the "security market" or the "security industry," in practice security is more a collection of markets, tools, and practices all competing for our time, attention, and dollars. Here at Securosis we have a massive coverage map (just for fun, which doesn't say much now that you've experienced some of our sense of humor), which includes seven major focus areas (like network, …http://www.rsaconference.com/blogs/securosis-guide-welcome-to-the-coverage-area-deep-diveshttp://www.rsaconference.com/blogs/securosis-guide-welcome-to-the-coverage-area-deep-dives
Securosis TeamSecurosis Guide: DevOpsX GamesThu, 02 Apr 2015 12:00:00 EDT <em>This post is part of a multi-part series about the <a href="http://www.rsaconference.com/blogs/welcome-to-the-securosis-guide-to-the-rsa-conference" target="_blank">Securosis Guide to the RSA Conference</a> (download the <a class="file pdf" href="/writable/files/2015/securosis_guide_to_rsac_2015.pdf">RSAC-G PDF</a>). Please scroll to the bottom for links to other posts in the series.</em> DevOps is one of the hottest trends in all of IT—sailing over every barrier in front of it like a boardercross racer catching big air on the last roller before the drop to the finish. (We'd translate that, but don't want to make you feel too old and out of touch). We here at Securosis are major fans of DevOps. We think it provides opportunities for security and resiliency our profession has long dreamed of. DevOps…http://www.rsaconference.com/blogs/securosis-guide-devopsx-gameshttp://www.rsaconference.com/blogs/securosis-guide-devopsx-games
Securosis TeamDig Deep into Security Topics With RSAC 2015 Learning Labs Wed, 01 Apr 2015 12:00:00 EDT At RSA Conference, we are hyper-focused on our attendees’ experience. What works for them? What doesn’t work for them? What do they want more of—or less? We scrutinize the feedback from our attendees and challenge ourselves to make every RSA Conference experience energizing, empowering, and enjoyable. From an education content standpoint, I listened and learned a lot from our delegates this year (and I’m still listening—suggestions always welcome!). I have strived to balance “traditional” with “new” on the 2015 agenda so that we can meet our delegates’ individual needs. As part of this quest, …http://www.rsaconference.com/blogs/dig-deep-into-security-topics-with-rsac-2015-learning-labshttp://www.rsaconference.com/blogs/dig-deep-into-security-topics-with-rsac-2015-learning-labs
Britta Glade